SH/SS

10 October 2012

Dear Parents/Carers

As you are hopefully aware, Impington Village College is nationally renowned as a fully inclusive, comprehensive school, we are proud of this and our rich provision.  However, over the next two years we are likely to be affected by Government proposals relating to the ways in which all schools are funded and also to the funding of those students with Special Educational Needs and/or Disability in particular.

At the moment schools fund the first 15 hours of teaching assistant support.  The Local Authority tops up allocations over 15 hours, but for allocations over 25 hours the Local Authority funds the teaching assistant hours in full and the school does not contribute any of its delegated funding.  The Government wants consistency ahead of a national review of funding and so from April 2013 the reforms may mean that all mainstream schools will contribute towards the funding of every student with a Statement of Special Educational Need, regardless of the hours of TA support. 

All initial indications are that these proposals will have a significant impact on Impington Village College because we are an inclusive school with a large Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Department and because Cambridgeshire is already one of the worse funded Local Authorities in the country.  Our recent OFSTED report highlighted the College’s strength in this area:  The achievements of those students with physical disabilities and a variety of special educational needs; are significantly above average as a result of the quality of care, provision and exemplary inclusion they receive on a daily basis.   We believe this will be threatened in the future with these changes.

The College may be asked to contribute up to two thirds of the funding of students with Special Educational Needs and/or Disability.  This will impact on every single student within the College as there are likely to be fewer specialist teachers of Special Educational Needs and/or Disability, fewer teaching assistants, larger teaching groups, fewer interventions including 1:1 support, less access during the school day to Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Sensory Services, Wheelchair Services, personalised programmes, IT and training of all staff. All students irrespective of their needs are likely to be disadvantaged.

It is very likely this change will have a turbulent effect on schools such as IVC and clearly we are very concerned about the impact on our community.  The details surrounding the funding changes are highly complex – even for professionals!  However, we are asking you to lobby both your constituency

MP about the proposed changes nationally and your local Cambridgeshire County Councillor (find out who to contact at: http://www.writetothem.com).  Cambridgeshire will still have the opportunity to distribute funding locally in the way they choose so that current services might not be adversely affected.

We know Cambridgeshire County Council meets on Tuesday 27 November to decide upon how funding will be distributed and it is therefore important to let your Councillor know your views by then.

For further information please refer to the following web link: http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies/specialneedsdisabilities/schoolagespecial/schoolfundingforSEN.htm.

Yours sincerely

Robert Campbell                                        Sharonne Horlock

Principal                                                       SENCo